(Newser)
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President Obama held a White House meeting today with the Dalai Lama, hours after China called on the US to rescind the invitation. The White House said that during the 45-minute private session, Obama reiterated his support for the protection of Tibetans' human rights in China, as well as the preservation of Tibet's religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions. In a nod to the criticism from Beijing, Obama also stressed that he considers a cooperative relationship between the US and China vital, and he restated US policy that it does not support Tibetan independence.

In remarks after the meeting forwarded by Kate Saunders from the International Campaign for Tibet, the Dalai Lama said of his visit with Obama: "Firstly we developed a very close sort of feeling for each other." He said Obama expressed his concern over basic human rights and religious freedoms. "So naturally he shows genuine concern about suffering in Tibet and other places." Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry huffed, "We firmly oppose any foreign official to meet with the Dalai Lama in any form."

Wonder if they talked about a new CIA US intervention in Tibet ? In 1956-57, armed Tibetan bands ambushed convoys of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. The uprising received extensive assistance from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), includingmilitary training, support camps in Nepal, and numerous airlifts.[128] Meanwhile in the United States, the American Society for a Free Asia, a CIA-financed front, energetically publicized the cause of Tibetan resistance, with the Dalai Lama’s eldest brother, Thubtan Norbu, playing an active role in that organization. The Dalai Lama's second-eldest brother, Gyalo Thondup, established an intelligence operation with the CIA as early as 1951. He later upgraded it into a CIA-trained guerrilla unit whose recruits parachuted back into Tibet.[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Tibet

Mersault

Jul 17, 2011 7:54 AM CDT

It was a 45 minute therapy session where they posed for photos and Obama pretended to give a shit.

JoeQ

Jul 16, 2011 10:40 PM CDT

It doesn't completely make up for Obama dissing the Dalai Lama the last time around.